A Small Town Girl From Skelmersdale, Lancashire

I will never forget the small town I came from a little Lancashire town called Skelmersdale, born and bred, but deep down I will always be a Yorkshire girl at heart, I have lived in Yorkshire longer than I lived in Skelmersdale when I was growing up, crazy eh? Skelmersdale will always hold a special place in my heart with fond memories, the kind of memories that give you the warm fuzzy feeling inside. So let us talk all things penny sweets, Kirby, knock and run, and you know the rest if like me you grow up in the late 80’s – 90’s

How the times have changed, it is just crazy! When visiting my parents, in Skelmersdale I can still picture places I would hang out, as a child even down to who I was with and what mischief we got ourselfes into. One memory that I love to laugh about the most was when myself and Joanne were climbing on the roof of the nursery, and I will never forget having to run home to get my dad Dad, because of my friend Joanne couldn’t get down! My Dad was not too impressed, but he comes to the rescue, with a little help from me. I had to show my Dad how I got up and down, to his horror my way down was in fact by jumping off the roof! Joanne and I often laugh about our shenanigans of what we got up too when we were younger, my sister Danielle would often tag along not always by choice .. My mum would make me and Joanne take her with us!

What Happened?

When I do visit my hometown, the first thing I notice is the streets are quiet with no children playing Kirby and knock and run. Children of today are all inside on games consoles and computers, kids of today don’t know what they’re missing. It does sadden me that my girls haven’t experienced what I did as a child, we would be out first thing in a morning until the street lamps come on in the evening you would always only go within shouting distance, all the locals knew your mum and would say your mum is looking for you.

We could go to Kenny’s with 30p you could get a carton drink sweets and a packet of crisps! Today’s kids can’t even get a chocolate bar for 50p. When I was growing up, it was normal for a neighbour to shout to ask you to go to the shop for them and they’d let you keep the change or give you some money for sweets.

There were no big gangs of kids hanging around causing trouble, or was there!? Maybe there was, and we didn’t notice the problem due to being too young and having the time of our lives. I would love for my kids to be growing up in a close-knit small community like the one Eskbank where my sisters and I grew up.